PX This.

"… I later purchased an Apple computer, and it was with that machine and others that I used to create everything I’ve done since then. Yes, they were more expensive, but greatness has a cost. If it weren’t for the innovations of Steve Jobs, much of the last 16 years for me may never have happened in the way they did. I honor and respect a legend, someone who will go down in history as one of the greatest inventors the world has ever known. Like every technology executive, Steve Jobs inspired me to lead, but to also be firm with your beliefs. What I will miss the most are those stories of a decision maker whose instinct shaped the world we know today." – my friend (and inspiration), Tony Zeoli, founder: netmix.com

"and this is how i roll." – abbe diaz, commercial artist / designer / author ; pxthis.com / abbediaz.com / geld-iaz.com

* * * * *

Have you heard?
Until the release of PX Me (Spring 2012), this website will henceforth be updated only intermittently (approximately once or twice a week).
Abbe Diaz’s new (daily) blog is now at: abbediaz.com

"… Rest peacefully, my Brother, I just came back from a 3 yr long assignment in Iraq, and I dare to say that Justice has been served. Farewell, my Friend, Farewell…" – Damir [Palladium, Tunnel, Club USA]

The following is an excerpt from PX This:

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2001. 12:15PM

We got terrible news. A friend that B used to work with, “Big Keith,” is missing.

Such a nice guy, big and friendly and cute and good natured and happy. He’s a firefighter and I think nearly his entire squad is gone.

The last time I saw Big Keith was at Sugar in December, and I remember I asked him if he was still thinking about joining the fire department and he replied “I’m IN the fire department!”— so we chatted like wow how fast time flies, the last time I had seen him he was just talking about thinking about joining.

And he bought me a cup of coffee another night too and I felt weird, I wasn’t sure which was more insulting— to offer him money for it or not. I didn’t know the protocol, back at the Gatien’s nobody offered money, they just went and got it the next time.

Big Keith was in the movie The Professional and he was great in it really, even though it was a small role. He played Benny (one of the corrupt cops) and he has one awesome scene where he is standing in the hallway with his gun drawn, nervous and shaking and sweating.

Actually he is so remarkable I mentioned him in “The Ministry of Speed” too, and I guess it’s silly but I liked to imagine my film would actually get made one day and Keith could play one of the doormen and it would actually be the real him they were referring to in the dialogue. Something like that.

I remember one time Keith and I were chatting outside Naked Lunch and I was recounting to him how I’d taped The Professional on the VCR and then I realized “oh whoops you probably don’t want to hear that do you?” thinking it was bad I had videotaped it instead of paying to see it in a theatre. And eeheee he was cute he insisted “No! HBO is good, I’ll take HBO!”

And B says his wife is in denial like she just expects him to come walking in the door any second and my God who can blame her? Because he was just so big and able and strong it seemed like nothing could ever take him down.

Oh my God knock on wood but if something like that were to happen to B, I would be the exact same way, I would have to see it with my own two eyes.

It’s just not the way things are supposed to be.

B was really upset when he told me.

I remember all the funny stories he used to tell about working the door at Naked Lunch, how Keith would just make him laugh and laugh all night long.

Even though B hated doorkeeping so much I know he looks back fondly and proudly because of all the good guys he knows because of it.

And even though I don’t really want to share this with those people, I feel like I want to say something to the Project Greenlighters, all those movie lovers, like they should go out and buy The Professional and tell all their friends, I just want everyone to know when they watch that movie they should look out for him and they can see how great he was and be proud for him he is such a hero.

But I am afraid it will just come out stupid or corny or something.

OMG, did you feel that?! The earth moved, the walls trembled, the chandeliers swayed… it was an earthquake! Here, in New York City! Wow.

We mean, on the one hand, it’s a little scary. On the other, it’s a relief, because we thought maybe we were going crazy— we looked out the window, and nobody out on the street even seemed to notice a thing. And on the third hand (just roll with it), we thought maybe watching this first episode of Brosephs was JUST. THAT. GOOD. It rocked our world, literally!

Har har aharr. Ready for even more laughs?

Then watch it.

:)

Hilarious, wasn’t it? It was co-written by awesomely talented F&B superstar, Kevin Coyle. Does he, uhh— look familiar, by any chance? (Aside from his numerous big television commercials and whatnot, we mean.) Well, soon you’ll be seeing even more of him, so stay tuned. Yay!

** See also (earlier): Introducing: Brosephs

Check out talented former F&B industry superstar and homeslice Jersey Murray, founder of Black Ice Management and stylist to The Real Housewives of NYC‘s Countess LuAnn de Lesseps, in the "The Making of LuAnn’s (New) Music Video" on Bravo!

Yay! Hooray!

:)

* * * * *

Have you heard?
Until the release of PX Me- The Sequel to PX This (Spring 2012), this website will henceforth be updated only intermittently (approximately once or twice a week).
Abbe Diaz’s new (daily) blog is now at: abbediaz.com

Check out the trailer for, Brosephs, an "episodic web series about three strangers who become unlikely roommates and friends as they navigate relationships, feelings, family, mob bosses, and the rent," brought to you by talented and hilarious F&B industry superstar, Kevin Coyle.

Yay, hooray!

Following relatively recent news of shakeups at The Box, EMM, and Bagatelle, PX This has learned that Managing Director Ian Nicholson is the latest executive to decamp The Standard Hotel here in NYC. Following the earlier but unrelated departure of F&B Director of Operations Lana Trevisan (currently GM of soon-to-open Hotel Americano), Nicholson resigned from Hotels AB to forge a partnership deal with hotelier Alan Faena, most notably of Philippe Starck designed Faena Hotel+Universe in Buenos Aires.

Prospective projects of Faena and Nicholson include the somewhat beleaguered Cipriani Ocean Resort & Club location at 3201 Collins Ave in Miami Beach, as well as a future NYC site, currently still in its early stages of development. They are backed by Russian-American billionaire, Len Blavatnik who also, mere weeks ago, purchased Warner Music Group for a reported $3.3 billion.

Nicholson has served as The Standard’s Managing Director since May 2007 and as Vice President – Hotel Operations of Andre Balazs Properties since January 2010. Prior, he maintained the General Manager position at The SoHo Grand, Tribeca Grand, and The Hudson Hotel.

This just in: Nightlife impresario and Calvin Klein play pal, Nick Rytting, has decamped from The Box, where until last week he retained the title of General Manager. He currently joins co-owners and (longtime F&Bulous operatives) Larry Poston and Johnny Swet at Hotel Griffou.

The move is a logical one for Rytting, some of whose friends and followers within the industry raised eyebrows and expressed skepticism when Rytting departed F&B for Nightlife’s notoriously tumultuous Team Hammerstein, following his years-long stint at La Esquina.

Hotel Griffou, which recently replaced original beleaguered chef Jason Giordano with Bouley and Per Se alum David Santos, now seems perfectly poised to reclaim its initial über-hot status, as Poston (formerly of The Waverly Inn and Pastis), Swet (formerly of Freemans and The Park), and Rytting must surely constitute downtown’s F&B Power-Pulchritudinous A-Gay trifecta.
Stay tuned.

This has been a PX This PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT

See also (earlier): On Nick Rytting

photo by Kristin Brown

* * * * *

Have you heard?
Until the release of PX Me (Summer 2011), this website will henceforth be updated only intermittently (approximately once or twice a week).
Abbe Diaz’s new (daily) blog is now at: abbediaz.com

Ohh, so you wanna know a little bit more about Nick Rytting, you say? Well, far be it for PX This, your expert in everything F&Bulous in New York City, to deny you by failing to satiate your intense curiosity. (You’re welcome!)

This is Nick Rytting, currently the General Manager of The Box and the former manager of longtime über-hotspot La Esquina.

Nick is 20-something years old, with medium-to-dark brown hair and hazel eyes. He primarily plays for Team Rainbow, but has been known to date girls on occasion, when they helplessly succumb to his irresistibility by throwing themselves at him mercilessly. He was born in East Someplace, Utah but considers New York City his "other" home. He likes vegetables, good wine, designer clothes, kind "geniune" people, Mariah Carey, and references to his uncanny resemblance to Hunter Parrish. His dislikes include meat, possessiveness, insidiousness, the cost of airfare, and arriving at the party "on time."

In short, we absolutely adore Nick Rytting, and we’re sure you would too.

:)

This has been a PX This PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT

* Black and White photo of Nick Rytting by Kristin Brown

Thank you, Hamptons.com!

Damn, now that’s one of the bestest, intuitivest, most comprehensivest things about myself I’ve ever read. (Except maybe the title. But whatever!)

Thank you!

"Celebrities Stink (Mostly): Maître D To The Stars Names Names" – Hamptons.com

We’re sure the tantalizing trailer for "My Brother Nancy" wasn’t enough to satiate your immense appetite for the totally awesome fantastic-ness that is Michele Brilliant. Don’t worry! We got more. (And it also includes a healthy dose of supermodel Jenny Shimizu! Yay!)

Check it out. You know you want to.

You’re welcome!

:)

PX This presents THE F&F REVIEW

Hey, sorry we couldn’t make it to "Friends&Family," we were out of town/ had to work/ not invited. We’re really glad we finally managed to come by, though— it’s so nice to see you!
What’s that? You would still like us to take the time to fill out the F&F survey, because you’d love to take advantage of all our vast experience, knowledge, insight, and expertise as long as we’re already here? Because you invited 75 people to F&F, and afterward all you got was 41 "Congrats[es]!" 22 "Awesome[s]!" 3 "Ciao[s]!" and 9 "Best of luck[s]!" ?
Of course, we’d be honored. Oh ha, yesss, we’ll be honest— brutally honest even, ha ha! After all, that’s what friends & family are for!
No no please, don’t send anything more, we’re stuffed, we can’t breathe, you’ll have to roll us out of here, ha ha ha… !

Albert Hall Tavern

What was your first impression?
Huh. Well… it’s certainly no Juliet, ha ha ahaa.

Please rate the Bar:
Nice. Big, welcoming, commodious.

Please rate the drinks/ cocktails/ wine:
They’re still in soft-open mode, so they haven’t quite settled in yet. But they have Belvedere! And fat juicy olives. What more do you need?
Oh but, my certified-sommelier friend hated her sauvignon blanc by the glass, so hopefully they’re working on that. I’m just sayin’.

Please rate the Dining Room:
Larger than you’d expect. There’s actually an anteroom, then a dining room, then a private dining room (seats about 20), then apparently another private private dining room beyond the first private dining room (still in the works).

Please rate the BOH:
Good. Simple but straightforward gastropubby type menu. Appetizers and entrees for now— bar menu, daily specials, and dessert "coming soon."

How was the staff?
Decent. Proficient and conscientious, but with just a dash of ennui. Ya know, hip and confident— imported from downtown.

What did you eat?/ How was the food?
Artichoke dip : Very good. Rich and delicious. A+
Burger : Top-notch. Perfectly cooked, hearty, juicy, and flavorful. Great presentation. Excellent fries (Sysco?).
Fish and Chips : Tasty. Crisp but fluffy. Not too greasy. Perfect portion. Same great fries.
Steamed mussels : Tender and succulent, but why such a congested little bowl? More broth, please!
Chicken wings : Eh, okay. Typical "buffalo" style. Sorry, but once you go Korean, there’s no coming back. (Generous serving, though.)

What did you like?
That dip was pretty slammin.

What did you dislike?
Nothing really. Oh wait sorry, my friend really did not like that wine.

What was your last impression?
Ha haa, seriously— I’m kinda curious what the story is here. Anyone who knows Artan Gjoni (and that’s just about everyone who’s anyone, yea?) knows that boy is impossible to talk to.

Would you come back?
Even though it’s kinda out of the way… probably.

Thank you, and hope to see you soon!
Thanks, Artan! It was nice seeing you too.

* * * * *

For more on Artan Gjoni, read PX Me – The Sequel to PX This. Coming soon in the Summer of 2011.

* * * * *

Have you heard?
Until the release of PX Me (Summer 2011), this website will henceforth be updated only intermittently (approximately once or twice a week).
Abbe Diaz’s new (daily) blog is now at:

abbediaz.com

The Blabber in the Trenches

• Longtime operators Aymeric Clemente and Remi Laba have been ousted from Bagatelle, Kiss & Fly, and RDV. Apparently ejected on the night before Christmas, the duo, despite their partnership agreement and impressive track record (earnings at Bagatelle are estimated in the $8M per year range), have been summarily dismissed without warning or justification. The two are expected to pursue legal recourse.
Bagatelle, Kiss & Fly, and RDV are not affiliated with their other undertakings, Villa Pacri and La Petite Maison.

• Legendary F&B Superstar Artan Gjoni‘s new venture is in soft-open mode. Albert Hall Tavern is located at 508 9th Ave between 38th and 39th Streets. Tell ‘im we sent you. Ha ha haa, no actually—- don’t.

• Chronic cool dude and nightlife impresario Armin Amiri is slated to open his new enterprise someplace "in Chinatown." We’d tell you where, but then we’d have to kill you. (Stay tuned.)

• Which newest enterprise is the top contender for the industry’s famous and sagacious Dead In Eight [months] award? News is already trickling in from "Friends & Family," and the forecast isn’t pretty. (Don’t quit your day job.) Place your bets!

My Brother Nancy

To avid fans and supporters of La Esquina, Michele Brilliant needs no introduction. So, we won’t bother.

We’ll just let the trailer for "My Brother Nancy" (such boldfaced names as Russell Brand and Jennifer Esposito are rumored to be involved) do all the talking instead.

PX This presents THE F&F REVIEW

Hey, sorry we couldn’t make it to "Friends&Family," we were out of town/ had to work/ not invited. We’re really glad we finally managed to come by, though— it’s so nice to see you!
What’s that? You would still like us to take the time to fill out the F&F survey, because you’d love to take advantage of all our vast experience, knowledge, insight, and expertise as long as we’re already here? Because you invited 75 people to F&F, and afterward all you got was 41 "Congrats[es]!" 22 "Awesome[s]!" 3 "Ciao[s]!" and 9 "Best of luck[s]!" ?
Of course, we’d be honored. Oh ha, yesss, we’ll be honest— brutally honest even, ha ha! After all, that’s what friends & family are for!
No no please, don’t send anything more, we’re stuffed, we can’t breathe, you’ll have to roll us out of here, ha ha ha… !

Jimmy @ The James Hotel

What was your first impression?
Oh sure, now you’re happy to see me. That’s pretty funny, considering it seems that usually I can’t get past the doorman at Hotel Griffou.
(Hee, kidding!) (But not really.)

Please rate the Bar:
It’s nice. Cute bartenders.

Please rate the drinks/ cocktails/ wine:
Outstanding. Really. (But they effin better be, at these prices! Holy cow.)

Please rate the Dining Room:
N/A. But the "lounge" area is nice, albeit small. Great view.

Please rate the BOH:
N/A again. (But on a semi-related note, I did try out the new chef at Hotel Griffou the other day. And I must say the food was very good.)

How was the staff?
Excellent. Everybody from the bellhops to the doorman (who’s apparently "not really a doorman doorman," in case you were wondering) to the cocktails waitresses were unbelievably gracious. Very impressive.

What did you eat?/ How was the food were the drinks?
White Russian something : Delicious.
Oh shoot, what was the other one? Tequila with fresh coconut milk something or other : OMG, so gooood.

What did you like?
Well, let’s be totally honest here. I love Johnny Swet and Larry Poston (yah, even when I can’t get in their fucking restaurant). Oh, and that David Rabin dude is okay too.

What did you dislike?
Nothing! No, really.

What was your last impression?
Did that nice security guy seriously run over here just to open the door for me? Crazy.

Would you come back?
Yup.

Thank you, and hope to see you soon!
Thank you! Love ya!

The Curious Case of Gwendolyn Butler

OK, I don’t actually know if Boston’s notorious "$3M Bartender" Gwen Butler was really christened Gwendolyn at some point in her life, but I just thought it sounded better in the title.

Anyhoo! PX This hereby presents the following NEWSFLASH: Gwen Butler’s recent appointment as General Manager of La Esquina has been terminated. We repeat: GWEN BUTLER HAS LEFT THE BUILDING.

Fascinating, isn’t it?

No? Why should you actually care, you ask? Who gives a goddamn, you inquire?

Well, New York magazine’s Grubstreet cares! So nyeah. And frankly, we here at PX This care too. And YOU— curious, sagacious, cognizant, voracious, zealous associate of the NYC Food & Beverage industry— maybe you should care too. Think of it as an compelling case study!

You may recall Boston’s scandalous "$3M Bartender"/"Full Comp"-blogger first made her big splash in NYC as anonymous-writer/Keith-McNally-pillorer "Sympathy for the Restaurant Industry."
She trundled through various undertakings, searing her mountainous brand upon the backsides of venues across the great island of Manhattan— Bubby’s, Daydream, Thunder Jacksons, etc— all culminating in an unprecedented and uproarious smackdown with Wonder Douche dumb chef, Ryan Skeen.*
Still, she managed to emerge triumphant, landing her "dream job" as GM of longtime über-hotspot, La Esquina.

Unfortunately, despite her entrusted duty-bound title, it wasn’t long at all before Butler was up to her old shenanigans, unable to resist the siren call of glorious foodie-blog superstardom. It seems that under Butler’s deft Deep-Throat email-wielding hands, La Esquina soon came under befuddled stupefied scrutiny, and avid supporters of "co-owner" Serge Becker were suddenly left scratching their heads wondering if they should take their patronage elsewhere.

Apparently, this didn’t bode well for La Esquina’s bottom line; "an insider" from the restaurant approximates it may even have possibly diminished the nightly cover estimate by as much as "30 percent," as the cool crowd moved their party up the street, to fellow chronic cool-dude Nur Khan‘s Kenmare.

However, another "La Esquina insider" tells us that doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of Butler’s "wackadoo" tenure. As early as July 30, 2010 (mere weeks into Butler’s regime) the staff had already organized a mass email campaign to owner Derek Sanders, imploring the ejection of the newly-instated Butler.
Truth be told, we here at PX This have been fielding the plenitudinous grumblings ever since.

That surprises you, doesn’t it? I mean, after all, the whooole "blogger world" (whoever the hell that’s supposed to be) considers us to be "the La Esquina shit-talkers" (whatever the hell that’s supposed to mean)—
don’t they, dear?
[Please, by all means, hit that "La Esquina" tag-link, and just revel in all the "shit" we've been talking. While you're at it, try the "Gwen Butler" tag-link too, and then maybe you can figure out what we've ever done to have Ms Butler trying to unofficially "blacklist" us from La Esquina for weeks now. According to a "La Esquina insider" (or two, or four, or more) that is.]

Oh waaait, never mind, I got it. It’s this comment here by our chieftain, isn’t it?

Well— you certainly can’t say she never told you so.

*Yeh, don’t think we didn’t catch that snide ignorant little dig on your Twitter page before you deleted it, Ryan Skeen.

Viva La Esquina!

***********************************************

For more on this story, read PX Me – The Sequel to PX This Coming in the Spring of 2011

Admit it, you could use a drink right now. (The fact it’s only 10:44AM is totally irrelevant.) Need a cool recipe? (Ha, lookit that: September 27, 2010 – Avion Tequila Coffee Shooter! See? It’s got coffee in it!)

Check out your boy Yusef Austin‘s brand-spanking new webspot for ELITELIXIRS! It’s dope.
No seriously though, I’ve had it running in the background on my desktop for like 10 minutes now, cuz I really like that song. I almost feel like I’m sitting at Boom Boom with Yusef right now.

Except I’m missing a cocktail.

:(

♪♪ "… done my tiiime, paid my duuues, packed my bags and away i flew…." ♪♪